GoodSync vs Rclone (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Rclone grades higher than GoodSync: 2.8 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
GoodSync grades higher on ease of use. Rclone grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
GoodSync
File backup and two-way sync software for desktops and servers
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick GoodSync if
- Fits if you want scheduled backup or two-way sync between folders and servers
- Works for people who run Windows or Linux servers and want an unattended service
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need a price before you start, as none is recorded
- Watch out: advanced features are free only for the first 15 days
- Not for you if you need a phone app, since only desktops and NAS are listed
- Watch out: the free-versus-paid limits were not read
- Tight if you use a specific NAS, as which brands are supported was not read
Pick Rclone if
- Fits if you are comfortable in a terminal and want to move files between many providers
- Works for people who want to mount cloud storage as a drive
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a point-and-click app, as it is a command-line program
- Not for you if you need hosting, because it does not store files itself
- Too light for people wanting a polished GUI, since the web interface is labelled experimental
- Watch out: Android is only available as separate builds
- Tight if you want vendor support: it is a free open-source project
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGoodSyncFair | 2.8GPARcloneGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is recorded, so it sits in the middle by default. | AFree under the MIT licence, with no paid plans. Anyone can download and run it, and you pay only the storage providers you connect. |
| Free plan and trial | CAdvanced features are free for the first 15 days with no card, and a free download is offered. The limits of the free version were not read. | AThe whole program is free with no caps. You do need an account with a provider, as it hosts nothing. |
| Features | CBackup, two-way sync, real-time and scheduled jobs, a server edition and a control centre. What the free and paid editions each include was not read. | BCopy, sync, bisync, mount as a drive, encryption, compression, hash checks and serving files, across 70+ providers. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You set up jobs, sources and destinations. | DIt is run from the command line and set up with configuration files. The web GUI is labelled experimental. |
| Platforms and integrations | CA program for computers and servers: Windows, Mac, Linux and NAS. No phone app is listed. | CA program for computers: Mac, Windows and Linux, with Android only as separate builds. Many storage backends but no phone or web app of its own. |
| Best for | backup and two-way sync on desktops and servers | syncing and mounting cloud storage from the command line |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: GoodSync and Rclone. How we grade
Where they differ
- Rclone is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
In commonWindowsmacOSLinuxFile syncFile management
At a glance
| GoodSync | Rclone | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | Not published | Free |
| Free plan | None | Free and open source under the MIT license; no paid plans. |
| Free trial | Advanced features free for the first 15 days | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | GoodSync | Nick Craig-Wood and contributors |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | rclone.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
GoodSync
- Prices could not be read: the vendor's site returned a connection restriction page, so no plan prices are recorded here.
- The vendor lists a free download alongside paid editions, but the free-versus-paid limits were not read.
- Advanced features are free only for the first 15 days.
- NAS platforms are mentioned for download; which NAS brands are supported was not read.
Rclone
- It is a command-line program; the web GUI is labeled experimental.
- Android is mentioned only as separate builds, not as a main download.
- It does not host storage itself: you need an account with a supported provider.
- The site points third-party developers to the command line and API for GUI and backup front ends.
Key features
GoodSync
- Backup or two-way sync
- Each job is set up as a one-way backup or a two-way synchronization between a source and a destination folder.
- Automation options
- Jobs can run in real time, periodically or on a schedule.
- Many destinations
- The vendor says it supports all major protocols and cloud services.
- Server edition
- GoodSync for Server OS is described as an unattended service for Windows and Linux servers, with a free trial.
- GoodSync Connect and Explorer
- Separate Connect and Explorer products are listed in the site's feature menu.
- Backup Control Center
- A business offering for managing backups is listed in the site's business menu.
Rclone
- Copy, sync and bisync
- One-way sync makes a destination match a source; bisync keeps two directories matching in both directions.
- Wide provider support
- The site says over 70 cloud storage products support it, including S3 object stores, plus SFTP, WebDAV, FTP and HTTP.
- Mount as a disk
- Mounts local, cloud or virtual filesystems as a drive on Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD.
- Crypt, compress and chunk backends
- Virtual backends wrap another remote to encrypt, compress, chunk or merge it.
- Integrity checks
- Checks MD5 or SHA1 hashes and preserves timestamps, and interrupted transfers can be restarted.
- Serve and remote control
- Can serve files over HTTP, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP and DLNA; an experimental web GUI and a remote-control API are listed.
Plans
GoodSync
Pricing could not be confirmed. See goodsync.com.
Rclone
Rclone$0
Free MIT-licensed software; you pay only the storage providers you connect it to.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, GoodSync or Rclone?
As of Nov 13, 2026, GoodSync has no price we could confirm, and Rclone is free.
Which has a free plan, GoodSync or Rclone?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Rclone has a free plan. GoodSync does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do GoodSync and Rclone run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Rclone lists an Android app. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.